Category Archives: Architect

“Fifty Shades of Grey” actress Dakota Johnson‘s “extraordinary” midcentury modern Los Angeles retreat is already under offer—mere days after the on-screen star put the property on the market for $6 million.

Johnson, 36, purchased the “masterclass in modernism” back in January 2016, when she paid $3.55 million for the property, using a chunk of the money she earned from starring in the “Fifty Shades” franchises.

However, after more than two decades of ownership, the actress—who is the daughter of Hollywood legends Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson—made the decision to part ways with the picturesque property, listing the three-bedroom, three-bathroom abode for almost double the price she bought it for.

Now, just one week later, property records show that the dwelling is under “contingent” offer, meaning that Johnson has accepted a buyer’s proposed price and the deal is in the process of being finalized, albeit with certain conditions that need to be met before closing.

It is currently unclear what offer Johnson has accepted—and it’s likely that she and her agent, Ruby Fay of Engel & Volkers Beverly Hills will entertain additional interest in the dwelling until the sale has closed.

Originally built in 1947, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom abode was designed by acclaimed architect Carl Maston and is described in its listing as a “masterclass in California modernism where warm woods, poured concrete, and wood-framed glass walls dissolve the boundary between indoors and out.”

After purchasing the home, Johnson carried out an elegant renovation of the property, working with renowned design company Pierce and Ward to turn the dwelling into her dream sanctuary, a project that she later showcased in a shoot for Architectural Digest.

In the 2020 photoshoot, the actress proudly revealed some of her most precious personal items that she had filled the home with, including a note from her grandmother, Tippi Hedren, an image from her appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in 2015, and artworks painted by the likes of David Hockney and Harmony Korine.

Many of those personal effects can be seen in the listing photos of the home, which spans just over 3,200 square feet and was once described by the “Materialists” star as a kind of “tree house” because of the leafy trees that surround the property, which is tucked away on a quiet cul-de-sac in West Hollywood.

Interestingly, Johnson’s decision to put the property on the market—where it is listed with Ruby Fay of Engel & Volkers Beverly Hills—comes just six years after she told Architectural Digest that she would likely “never want to sell” it, having fallen in love with it as soon as she toured it for the first time.

“I was immediately drawn to how it was clean but also cozy,” she told the outlet. “I thought, ‘I’ll never want to sell this place.'”

The actress added that she chose to buy the property as her first significant purchase after securing the role as Anastasia Steele in the “Fifty Shades” trilogy because she felt that “it would be healthy to have a base,” particularly as her Hollywood career was taking off.

“With my job and the velocity at which my schedule can change, it’s important for me to have a place to go to and it be mine,” she said. “Psychologically, I’m moored somewhere. This place is my anchor.”

Johnson noted that the property was the second she saw in her house-hunting journey, explaining that she not only fell for the home itself, but also its fascinating history, including Maston’s close connection to fellow midcentury modern pioneers Richard Neutra and John Lautner.

“Maston was buddies with Lautner and Neutra, and they’d all go to Musso & Frank’s together because there was a hostess that they were all in love with. Carl ended up marrying her, and this was the house they lived in,” she revealed.

Despite carrying out a meticulous overhaul of the home, Johnson has maintained many of the most awe-inspiring design elements from Maston’s original design, including the “expansive glass walls” that open up directly to the backyard and swimming pool, as well as the wood walls, exposed beams, and bold red brick.

Other spaces, however, had to undergo a more in-depth renovation, with designer Emily Ward explaining that the flooring on the second floor was originally made of cork, which she noted “wasn’t salvageable,” despite admitting that it “was really cool.” Instead, she and her cofounder, Louisa Pierce, replaced the material with more durable hardwood flooring throughout the upper level.

Johnson paid special attention to the primary suite, which features a large bedroom, huge walk-in closet, and an elegant bathroom that was painted in a custom pink shade inspired by a sweater she owned from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen‘s fashion brand, The Row.

She also added a huge soaking tub at the center of the space, which features a large door to the outside—as well as large “double sinks,” which she previously joked were the “key to a healthy relationship.”

Meanwhile, the main living space features concrete flooring, which adds an industrial feel to the otherwise-organic space, creating the perfect mix of aesthetics.

Maston’s emphasis on blurring the lines between the indoor and out remained, however.

“The main living level is striking in its restraint: expansive glass walls on two sides open directly onto the swimmer’s pool, flooding the interiors with natural light and creating an effortless dialogue between architecture and landscape,” the listing notes.

In addition to the swimming pool, the exterior of the property, which sits on just over 0.2 “lush and layered” acres, also features a barbecue space, a fire pit, and several patios and outdoor entertaining spaces, including one raised perch that overlooks the entire backyard.

While the actress—who recently signed on as a new spokesmodel for Calvin Klein—has not yet revealed why she has chosen to the sell the property, reports emerged in October that she had purchased a new dwelling in the tony Los Angeles neighborhood of Outpost Estates.

According to Star Magazine, Johnson paid $5.3 million for a stunning Mediterranean-style dwelling, which was originally built in the 1950s but had undergone a stunning renovation shortly before being put on the market.

Property records show that the dwelling in question—which features four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms and spreads across more than 3,500 square feet—was purchased via a trust that is linked to the same trust Johnson used to purchase the home she has now listed.

Both trusts are managed by Johnson’s accountant, Anthony Bonsignore, who also counts John McEnroe, Greta Gerwig, David Harbour, and Sterling K. Brown among his clientele.

In the years since she purchased her midcentury modern abode, Johnson has invested in several other properties, including a Malibu mansion that she purchased with her former partner, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, in 2020.

The duo bought the expansive dwelling for $12.5 million via a trust linked to the musician’s longtime business manager—however they sold it for the much higher price of $14.4 million just over one year later.

Johnson and Martin, who had an on-again, off-again romance, finally called time on their relationship in 2025 after eight years together, with sources claiming at the time that they had been unable to agree on plans for their future together.

The actress has since been linked to musician Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury. While she has yet to comment on that romance, sources told People magazine in April that the couple had been dating since the end of 2025 and that they were “taking things slow.”

Johnson’s mother, Griffith, did appear to give her seal of approval to the musician, however, stating in a video that was posted by the gossip account DeuxMoi that she thought he was “fabulous.”